vs Spartak | Vital Football

vs Spartak

wee_od_88

wee_od_88

Vital Football Hero
Quite possibly.....the biggest game of our season!!!!

It's make or break time for the players. Take the game by the scruff of the neck, beat Spartak and we are likely to go through to the last 16 and these players become heroes! Even if we fail, we are guaranteed European football after New Year so I'll be happy enough with that but I really would like to see us get through to the last 16 again!

Simply because we were ruled out straight away and we could prove so many people including myself and other fans wrong by making it through.

The question is whether Lennon sticks to what he has been using so far or whether he switches the tactics or shape slightly. Remembering that we will be without Wanyama for this game but Kayal is back, I wonder whether we might see Ambrose brought in to midfield.

Perhaps see something like:

Forster
Lustig - Wilson - Mulgrew - Izzy
Brown - Ambrose - Kayal - Ledley
Hooper - Samaras

It's anyone's guess, Mulgrew could be used on the left of midfield and Ambrose at the back......so many different solutions but I think that is the likely 11!
 
Lenny wants to attack. Also, we have done well off set pieces by having a tall, physical side out there. So I expect Muldini at left back for his long-range shootin and his height. I predice:

Lustig----Wilson----Ambrose---Muldini
Brown---Kayal----Ledley---Common
------Hooper------Samaras------------

The other possibility is using that set and subbing Sammy on the left in place of Commons and pairing either Watt of Lassad with Hooper. sammy can be pretty dangerous running the ball in from the left.

C'mon Bhoys!! :emoticon:27 :emoticon:27
 
Suuuuppppper Hoooopppper! GHoal off a corner and it's 1-0. C'mon Bhoys, keep the pressure on.
 
No Wee Od. Tic is AWOL. Jimmy has been on a bender for weeks. I am talking to myself. :emoticon:62 :emoticon:11
 
Sorry I wasn't on last night welch! Was too busy watching the game and had a few people up watching it as well.

What a game though. It as a 50-50 game, we looked dangerous going forward while not having too much possession, they had more possession but didn't cause us many problems going forward in the second half. In the first half we simply couldn't handle Emenike! We were sitting shouting at the defenders to get him sorted! Shackle him! DO SOMETHING!

He was quiet second half though and we dominated the play a bit more.

Great spirit, character, guts and determination from all the bhoys last night. What a magnificent achievement for them all!

I thought Kayal was just amazing last night, back to the player we saw in his first season here! We didn't really miss Wanyama because Kayal was so on top of his game!

So now on to the next round and the last 16 of the Champions League......who are we going to get?

PSG
Malaga
Shalke
Man Utd
Borussia Dortmund
Bayern
Juventus

Simply because I think the atmosphere at both games would be incredible....Borussia Dortmund would be a cracking tie!
Dortmund are the team we should be trying to emulate. They were nearly gone, down and out, but they changed things and started setting up a way to play from youth level, invested in their scouting and buying young talent with potential and look where it has taken them. Bundesliga Champions the last 2 or 3 years now and playing Champions League football......fantastic stuff!
 
I was mostly kidding, Wee Od, highlighting the fact that you and I have become the site.

Anyway, Kayal was good. Samaras and Commons were also incredible.

As for out next foe, I'd like to avoid Man U and Bayern at all costs. PSG has been on a big spending spree and i woldn't want to see them either. Malaga would be our best matchup, followed by Schalke and Dortmund. Juve could be a heavy favorite, but they do have atendency to slip up. I also think they would have a tough time in the weather at Celtic Park.
 
I know, partly the reason I felt obliged to apologise for not being online, I should have known nobody else would be on bar one of us! haha!

The whole team was brilliant last night, although Wilson and Ambrose really struggled to deal with Emenike especially first half. However, how many saves did Forster have to actually make? Not many!

Samaras and Commons were in inspirational form, although at times were a little frustrating as well, that's just how they both play though. One moment they are excellent and the next you are asking yourself what the hell they are doing.

Have you seen the photo posted on Twitter by Commons after the game? His injury......no wonder he had to go off! OUCH!

They were kicking lumps out of us all game and the ref seemed reluctant to book them!

On paper, Malaga or Schalke might be our best chance but both have been doing incredibly well in Europe this season! I wouldn't say we have a better chance against one over another! It's more down to who we would like to play or where is going to be a great atmosphere etc. Juventus would be good, Dortmund would be good or perhaps our chances against Malaga might be a bit higher...

Looks like Miku is staying welch! Lennon says he has spoken with him, he is happy but knows he can do better and Lennon expects him to stay and challenge for his place......Wait and see if it does in fact stay like that! Perhaps it was going to cost us a lot of money to cancel the loan and so we will just hold on to him instead....

Our next game could see us fielding a not too dissimilar team to the Arbroath game. A few casualties from last night and some tired bodies. Commons will be out for at least a week I would imagine with his leg injury, Lustig hobbled off so is probably a doubt and Brown had to give up after a while as well. Add to that any other knocks and general tiredness and players not long back from injury could see a weaker team again this weekend away to Kilmarnock.

I think you could go with:

Forster
Matthews - Rogne - Wilson - Izzy/Chalmers (he might get another change or maybe just 45 mins or something)
McGeouch - Wanyama - Ledley
Watt - Miku - Lassad

That would be an interesting line-up but I doubt thats what Lennon will go with. He wants to fix this poor SPL form and will go as full strength as possible.

He will go:

Forster
Matthews - Rogne - Wilson - Izzy
Kayal - Wanyama - Ledley
Watt - Hooper - Lassad

Lennon has been full of praise for Lassad so I expect him to start the game, giving Sammy a rest. Hooper will play again because Lennon loves him. I think Watt's pace and unpredictability could be very useful in this game.
 
Lenny would not say if Miku is going so soon before the window. So I could sttill see him going. It's a non-event. Lassad is emerging as a new option. Watt clealy is an option and sammy and Hooper are starters. When Stokes returns. Miku will be as buried as Paddy.
 
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